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Friday, March 29, 2024

Citra man arrested after leading police on chase before crashing into ditch

A Citra man was arrested after he crashed his vehicle into a ditch while attempting to flee from police who were chasing him for racing another vehicle in northwest Ocala.

On Monday, September 27, an Ocala Police Department officer patrolling the 400 block of NW Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue observed a blue BMW and a brown Dodge truck traveling northbound, at a “high rate of speed” in the 300 block of NW MLK Avenue.

According to an OPD report, the vehicles were estimated to be traveling at approximately 60 mph in a posted 35 mph zone.

The officer pursued the BMW, which was being driven by 33-year-old Christopher Williams, and enabled emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop.

Williams refused to stop his vehicle and continued to drive westbound, running a stop sign at the intersection of NW 7th Street and NW Blitchton Road.

According to the report, Williams made multiple turns and accelerated at high speeds in an attempt to elude police.

At one point, Williams was approaching a red light at the intersection of NW 4th Street and NW MLK Avenue with several motorists stopped on the road. According to the report, Williams peeled off the road and onto the adjacent grassy field before driving back onto NW 4th Street.

Williams continued through northwest Ocala until he entered the parking lot of the United Holiness Church of Christ, located at 1642 NW 3rd Street. He lost control of his vehicle, drove into a ditch, and got stuck, according to the report. He exited the vehicle and fled on foot before he was eventually apprehended.

A records check revealed that Williams does not possess a valid driver’s license and has been convicted of driving with a suspended license six previous times.

Williams was transported to the Marion County Jail and faces multiple felony charges, including fleeing and eluding police, as well as driving on a suspended license.